


His Words

by Echo_Gray



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Potential Spoilers, Pre-Resurrection, Selectively Mute Link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 21:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10544430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_Gray/pseuds/Echo_Gray
Summary: Link hadn't always been mute, but the upcoming battle has chased his words away.  And while he doesn't find them worth the time, there is another who disagrees.





	

He wasn’t mute. 

Or, rather, he hadn’t been so at the beginning.  Before he had been appointed Princess Zelda’s knight, before he had thought he would be more than a simple soldier in the Royal Guard, before he had even decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, he had been incredibly social.  Growing up alongside soldiers, he had been just as raucous as his father’s friends and had enjoyed time spent gathered around a fire while they told grand tales of battles and skirmishes.  Link had eagerly begged for more, asked question after question, and animatedly told his own tales (albeit much less than those of the men around him, for his “battles” consisted of a training sword and his imagination).  Then he began his own training, and it was there he found a place he belonged, with people who understood him, cared for him, saw him as a brother and treated him justly so.  He had friends, he had his father, he had his brothers-in-arms, and Link soon became the center of most nighttime camp fires, telling his own grand tales now of solo fights with Bokoblins and Moblins and even, to the great shock and admiration of his comrades, a Lynel.    
  
But then he became the Princess’ appointed knight and learned that he was no longer just a simple farm boy moving too quickly through the ranks of the Guard.  No.  He was a Champion.  He was destined to fight the Great Evil, as he had been in nearly every single one of his lifetimes, he was told, and the Princess was a descendant of a Goddess with her own grandiose destiny.  Link knew, however distantly, of the prophecy that had fallen upon Princess Zelda and so that was no surprise.  However, Link had not known there was an equally great part he must also play and that the prophecy included him as well, that no one else would be able to smite the evil of Ganon but Link.  Though his father was bursting with pride that his only son would bring such honor to their name, Link felt a weighted pressure so great he feared it would crush him to death.  
  
That was when his words had left him.    
  
It was easier, he told himself.  By and large, his only company most days was the Princess, and truthfully, what could Link say to her?  She was a genius, she knew leagues more than Link could ever begin to understand, she had the mind of an engineer and Link that of a simple farmer.  Nevermind the fact that Princess Zelda quite openly resented and, sometimes, hated him.  No, it was far simpler to say nothing to her at all in order to avoid her quick ire.  There was far too much at stake, their fate too dire, for him to speak out of turn.  This, Link found, was most important when the Princess was stopped by the Sheikah working with the Guardians.  They had so many questions of what to do, where to start, how the mechanics were possibly meant to function, and the Princess had answers upon answers for them.  She had done such extensive studying that she became the forefront of Guardian knowledge, alongside Lady Impa, Lady Purah, and Master Robbie, the details in which skyrocketed over Link’s head.  How foolish he would look, and make the Princess look, were he to answer any questions directed at him.  He would simply stand by, awaiting an order from the Princess, completely silent.  Everyone learned quickly that the appointed knight was distant and stony, and Link made no attempts to correct them, however wrong they all were. 

Not to mention... Link had never before been too proud to admit fear, to admit he was lost, to admit something might be too big for him.  He had comrades for a reason, one could always ask for help.  But in this... he could not.  He had no one, this was _his_ responsibility and his alone.  He was so afraid of allowing his once animated and honest mouth to run away with him and bare his soul when he knew that was not an option any longer.  He must shoulder this, no matter how he felt, and it was best to do it in silence to avoid frightening and disheartening those around him whose survival depended on his courage and capabilities.  He must be the only one to suffer, for the unfairness of allowing anyone else to know his burdens was unjustifiable and wrong.  
  
That was, until Princess Zelda all but forced him to open his mouth and use a voice that had slowly gone dormant.    
  
It was over a stupendous meal the Princess had made, consisting of hearty Hyrule bass, Hylian mushrooms, Hylian rice, and wildberries picked from nearby bushes, that she cornered him.  Things between them had only recently started to calm, and they had come to an unspoken understanding that no matter what the Princess said or did to him, he would always risk life and limb to protect her.  Not only was it his job, but Link cared for her.  She shouldered so much, suffered just as silently as he did, in her journey to find her untapped power.  She was just as crucial to Hyrule’s survival as Link and he would never allow harm to befall her.  Though she had seemed incredibly startled to come to this realization herself, it had nonetheless gentled her.  At least in her attitude towards Link.    
  
They had been munching away, Princess Zelda far more delicately than the way Link stuffed his face, when she suddenly put down her food and looked to Link.  He noticed immediately and paused, waiting.    
  
“I know you aren’t mute,” she said.  
  
Link swallowed his bite but said nothing.  It was not the first time she had spoken those words.  
  
“I remember,” she continued.  “You were a rambunctious child.  You chatted off the ear of any soldier who would listen and never seemed to quiet around your father.  And when Mipha would come to the Palace, you both were utterly inseparable despite the great differences in your stations.  I was... quite envious, if I’m to be honest.” She smiled softly, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “Mipha was meant to be my companion and yet she took completely to you.”  
  
Again, Link said nothing, though as he always did, he listened to her with rapt attention.  While the Princess often rambled to fill the silence that was always between them, she never said anything without purpose, and Link knew this well.  
  
Nervously, she tucked a lock of errant hair behind her ear.  “I have... been considering this for quite some time,” she said.  “I recognize that your words left you upon becoming my knight, and that up until recently I have been cold and sometimes cruel with you.  This has led me to conclude that... that the issue lies with me, that you must have nothing to say in my presence because you have come to, justly, hate me.”  
  
That admission was such a shock that it struck Link right in the gut and rippled through his body like a wave.  He practically dropped his food in the wake and his mouth popped open of its own volition.  “What?”   
  
Princess Zelda’s eyes went rather wide, her own shock now mirroring Link’s as her own lips parted in surprise.  “‘What’?”  
  
Blinking, quite confused and flustered all a sudden, Link took a deep breath.  He had grown so comfortable not speaking, allowing gestures and expressions to get him by, that knowing he must do so now was a rather daunting task.  And he did, he did have to verbally address this.  “I don’t,” he said, not without some difficulty.  
  
The Princess, eyes still wide and hands now folded in her lap, scooted forward just a little bit.  “You...  You don’t what, Link?”  It was easy to hear the strain in her voice as she no doubt contained her excitement and curiosity that she had finally gotten Link to speak, and so quickly at that.

Link shuffled, uncomfortable with the sharp attention.  Why did his words mean so much?  “I don’t hate you.  Your Highness, that’s ridiculous.”  
  
The Princess’ grip suddenly tightened upon her trousers.  “Then I am afraid I don’t understand.  Why have you gone so selectively mute?  I know I have been... terrible to you, and I’m so sorry for that.  It was wrong of me to treat you so poorly.”  
  
Link sighed softly and finally parted with his plate of food by setting it on a nearby stump they were camped beside.  “Your Highness--”  
  
“Zelda,” she interrupted.  “Please, do call me Zelda, at least when it is only you and I.”  
  
Link hesitated, teetering on following the request or following protocol, before finally giving in.  As she said, at least when they were alone.  “Zelda,” he tried, and ignored how strange it felt to address her so casually, how impertinent it seemed.  “I apologize that I have given you the impression that my silence is a direct reflection of my opinion of you.  To be honest, it is quite the opposite.  I...  I am silent so that I do not make you look a fool or speak out of turn.  From the moment I was appointed this position, all of my words and actions reflect on you.  I deeply respect you, my Lady, and I would never want to do anything to make you look lesser.”  
  
A blush had slowly spread across Zelda’s cheeks and to the tips of her ears, but a soft smile was tugging at her lips.  Quite suddenly she let out a gentle laugh and shook her head.  “I’m afraid you’ve made me feel foolish all the same, Link.”  
  
Link chuckled as well.  “My apologies, my Lady.  But it’s important you know that I do not, and could not, hate you.”  
  
Zelda’s smile grew and she nodded.  “Thank you for your candor.  Though I will admit confusion on something.  Why do you worry so much of what you say or do?  The Kingdom knows you are worthy of your new position, lest it would not have been given to you.  Why then do you believe you have to silence yourself?”   
  
Damn.  Link had rather been hoping the Princess would take what Link had said about her and let the subject go.  It seemed, even in quiet conversation she could see beyond the scope of what was in front of her to what was hidden beneath.  He fell silent and Zelda’s smile slipped away until she was frowning.    
  
“Link?  There is more, I can see it in your eyes.  Please, tell me.  It is only us out here.”  
  
Yes, that was true, but Zelda was one of the last people he wanted to burden his troubles with.  She had her own heavy weight to carry, he didn’t want her to feel obligated to help carry his as well.  Yet as she continued to stare at him, her eyes kind and encouraging and so very wise, he knew he could hide it from her no longer.  Slowly, he began to open up, though it took continual nudges from Zelda for him to explain it all to her.  The moon was nearly at its zenith by the time Link finished, he must have been speaking for ages, and he pretended to scan their surroundings rather than look at Zelda.  He worried about her reaction, if she would find him weak for admitting his fears, moments where he thought he might fail, his insecurities when looking at the other Champions, when looking at her.  He meant only to tell her he remained silent so as not show any signs he might be struggling in the face of his destiny.  Instead, he did the very thing he feared he’d do and told her everything.    
  
Movement caught his eye and he looked up just in time to see Zelda reach across the distance between them and place her hand on Link’s.  The touch was brief and then it was gone, and Link looked up at Zelda’s face.  She looked tired all a sudden, her face solemn, but in her eyes lingered that same kindness that they’d held before. 

“Thank you, Link,” she said again, though this time her tone held a depth of meaning.  “I...  I completely understand.  Please forgive me for making it seem so trivial and internalizing it in such a selfish way.”  Her expression grew somewhat distant and she looked down at her hands.  “Our destinies are tangled together when neither one of us asked for such burdens.  We must carry the weight of Hyrule’s fate on our shoulders without complaint, without outwardly stumbling.  The task seems so impossible, I don’t blame you at all for adopting this silence as a means of coping.”  She looked up, then, and her eyes shone in determination.  “But I know you can do this, Link.  We all can.  We must all work together, and play our part to the very best of our abilities, but we _can_ smite this evil.  I feel it in my heart.  We are strong enough.  _You_ are strong enough.”  
  
And with that, she delicately picked up her plate and returned to her dinner.  Link watched her for a few moments, almost swelling with emotion and gratitude at her words, and felt, at least for now, more at ease about the inevitable battle.  Link knew this conversation would not change things, that he would remain the silent soldier at her side, yet he couldn’t help but to consider that perhaps he would speak with Zelda more often now, when they were alone.  She knew his heart and hadn’t dismissed it, hadn’t turned from him or called him a coward.  She accepted his truths and took them into herself without letting them weigh her down.    
  
His respect for her mounted exponentially in that moment and, as he picked up his own meal to finish eating, he swore to himself to return the favor as best he could.  He would not only protect Zelda’s physical state as they embarked on this journey together, but her mental state as well, for that was exactly what she had just done for him.  She was right when she said their destinies were entangled.  They could do nothing without the other, but it was in the other that they shared their strengths.  And in the wilderness when it was only the two of them, where they had no one but each other in the darkness, the task didn’t seem quite so daunting.  
  
Together, and with their Champion friends, they would triumph.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope I captured what might have happened between Link and Zelda when she finally asked him what was going on. I recommend finding Zelda's room in Hyrule Castle and reading her diary if you haven't done so already! 
> 
> As always, constructive criticism and pointing out typos are appreciated! :) 
> 
> If you ever want to find me to come say hello, here I am!  
> http://alynn90.tumblr.com/


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